when they were in latitude 72° 42', longitude 91o 50'. At this point, the Fury was forced on shore, but coming off at high water, all sail was made for a broad channel of water in the distance, but, unhappily, before it could be reached, the ice again drove in upon them, and the ships became literally helpless and unmanageable.

The Hecla, after driving with it for about a mile, struck the ground and remained fast, but the unfortunate Fury was irresistibly carried past them, and driven on shore with great violence. Both ships got off at high water; but Captain Parry, on going on board the Fury, found her injuries so severe as absolutely to require her to be hove down. Four pumps, constantly worked by both officers and men, were scarcely sufficient to keep her free.

On the 18th, the Fury was hove down in a sort of artificial harbour, constructed out of the grounded bergs; but, on examining her hull, she was found to be in such an alarming condition, that Captain Parry desired the opinion of Captain Hoppner and his officers on the best course to be pursued, and these gentlemen, taking into consideration the impossibility of securing her in her present position, or getting her afloat to another, unanimously reported" that an absolute necessity existed for abandoning the Fury;" and Parry, having his own private opinion thus confirmed, with extreme pain and regret, ordered the signal to be made for the Fury's officers and men to repair on board with their clothes, the stores being necessarily abandoned, owing to want of room.

The

Hecla then stood over to the eastern shore of the Inlet, and reached Port Neill with scarcely any impediment from ice. Here she was refitted, and weighing anchor on her voyage home on the 31st August, she arrived at Sheerness on the 20th October, 1825.

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CHAPTER XIX.

Three Expeditions planned in conjunction with Parry's last North Western attempt-The First, commanded by Captain Lyon, designed to reach the point where Franklin's late journey had terminated-Extreme danger of Shipwreck-Patience and fortitude of Crew-Deliverance-Another fearful StormInjury to the Ship-Compulsory return homewards-Second Expedition, under Captain Franklin, Overland to Behring's Straits, Dr. Richardson and Lieut. Back again being his companions-Arrival at Great Bear Lake-Erection of Winter Residence-Excursions-Christmas Day-Separation of Party -Tribe of Esquimaux-Icy Barrier-Further progressSteps retraced-Re-union-Arrival at Fort Franklin-Second Winter-Return to England-Third Expedition by way of Behring's Straits, under Captain Beechey-Favourable voyage -Arrival at Rendezvous-Exertions to meet Franklin-Winter and Departure-Subsequent Return-Safe Arrival Home.

MENTION has been made of three expeditions in conjunction with Captain Parry's third and last north-western attempt. The first was commanded by Captain G. F. Lyon, and was sent out for the purpose of completing the survey of the shores of Melville Peninsula, and the Arctic shores of America as far as Cape Turn-again, the point where Franklin's late journey had terminated. The second was a land expedition under Captain Franklin, across the continent, down the Mackenzie River, and along the northern coast of America towards Behring's Straits, where the third and last expedition, sent via Cape Horn, was to meet both him and Captain Parry.

Captain Lyon sailed in the Griper, on the 19th June, 1825, accompanied by the Snap, commanded by Lieutenant Bullock, as far as the entrance of Hudson's Straits. Having taken on board the additional stores from the Snap, which considerably increased the sluggishness of the Griper, they parted company, and the latter proceeded on her lonely voyage. On the 22nd of August, they made the high land of Southampton Island, and rounding its southern extreme stood up the Welcome, where their first misfortunes commenced. The compasses, as they advanced further north, became useless; a heavy sea incessantly swept the crowded decks, while a thick fog hid everything from their sight.

In this situation three bowers and a stream anchor were let go, but before she was brought up by them, the water had shoaled to five fathoms and a half, when, momentarily expecting that the ebbing of the tide would occasion the total destruction of the ship, the boats were prepared to be hoisted out, and "every officer and man drew his lot with the greatest composure, although two of the boats would have been swamped the instant they were lowered." Hour after hour the decks were flooded, drenching the poor fellows to the skin; and on the weather clearing a little, a low sandy beach was observed just astern of them, on which the sea was breaking fearfully, and no human power could have saved them had the anchors parted and the vessel been driven on it.

Although, however, few of them had any idea they should ever survive the gale, Lyon ordered that every man should put on his warmest clothing, and secure some useful instrument about his person. "Each therefore brought his bag on deck, and dressed himself; and in the fine athletic forms which stood exposed before me, I did not see one muscle quiver nor the slightest sign of alarm. Prayers were read, and they then all sat down in groups, sheltered from

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the wash of the sea by whatever they could find, and some endeavoured to obtain a little sleep.

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Never," says their gallant commander, who had not been in bed himself for three nights, "never perhaps was witnessed a finer scene than on the deck of my little ship, when all hope of life had left us. Noble as the character of the British sailor is always allowed to be, in cases of danger, yet I did not believe it to be possible that among forty-one persons not one repining word should have been uttered. Each was at peace with his neighbour and all the world; and I am firmly persuaded that the resignation which was then shewn to the will of the Almighty was the means of obtaining His mercy. God was merciful to us; and the tide, almost miraculously, fell no lower." Very appropriately was the scene of this affecting narrative named the Bay of God's Mercy.

On the 12th September, off Wager Inlet, they encountered another fearful storm, and on the 13th the gale and sea increased to such a terrific extent that she broke from her anchors and drove before its fury, every one expecting her each moment to be dashed to pieces on some unknown rock, but providentially they were again preserved.

Captain Lyon now requested the advice of his officers, and all being of opinion that to continue the voyage with the ship in her present crippled state, without a single anchor, and with compasses worse than useless, was next to madness, a course was shaped for England, where they arrived safely, having done but little towards the cause of geography, but adding another to the many examples on record of the noble and manly resolution of the English seaman, in trials, at the mere recital of which the heart sinks.

The second expedition, in conjuction with Parry's voyage, was that under the command of Captain Franklin. That gallant officer, nothing daunted by

the dreadful sufferings he had undergone on his first journey, laid before the government a plan for an overland expedition to the mouth of the Mackenzie, and along the northern coasts of America to Behring's Straits; and as in the course proposed, similar dangers were not to be apprehended, while the objects to be attained were at once important to the naval character, scientific reputation, and commercial interests of Great Britain, the suggestion was adopted, and he received an appointment to the command of the party, composed of his old and tried friends, Dr. Richardson, Lieutenant Back, Mr. E. N. Kendall, Admiralty mate, and Mr. Thomas Drummond, assist-ant naturalist.

Captain Franklin had learnt from dear-bought experience that the light bark canoes of the Indians were ill calculated for an icy navigation, and he therefore obtained permission to have three boats constructed in the dockyard at Woolwich, of mahogany with ash timbers; while remembering the eight days spent in unavailing attempts to cross the Coppermine, a smaller one was constructed of planks of ash, fastened together with thongs, and covered with mackintosh, weighing altogether only eighty-five pounds. These boats were sent out by the way of Hudson's Bay, while the travellers took the route by New York.

The expedition sailed from Liverpool on the 16th February, 1825, and arrived at New York on the 15th March. It would be needless to follow them step by step in their progress to the northern coast; we shall merely state that they arrived at Great Bear Lake, and commenced the erection of a winter residence on its shores, whilst Captain Franklin and a party proceeded down the Mackenzie to look at the state of the navigation of the Polar Sea.

They reached the north-eastern entrance on the 14th August, in latitude 69° 14′ longitude 135° 57',